Spinal positioning couch

Abstract

A chair intended for therapeutic use has integral seat, back and leg support zones mounted for rocking movement between limiting positions defined by the surface on which the chair stands. The back support zone is formed with a hump positioned to project the lumbar region of the user upwardly relatively to the rest of his spinal column. The back zone terminates in a head portion that is adapted to position the head of the user correspondingly to the pattern of his projected lumbar position. The distance from the seat zone center of the seat portion to the end of the head portion is approximately 900 mm and to the center of the lumbar support zone approximately 600 mm. The leg and back zones are inclined to each other at about 150°.

I claim: 
     
       1. In a spinal positioning couch including a body support portion having head, back, seat and leg support zones and a support frame on which the body support portion of the couch is mounted for movement about a horizontal pivot connection between the body support portion and the frame; the improvement in which (a) the leg support zone from approximately the center of the seat support zone is inclined at a fixed mean angle of between 130° and 170° relatively to the back and head support zones;   (b) the back support zone includes an outwardly convex substantially non-deformable hump adapted to move the thoracic vertebrae T11, T12 and L1 of an adult user forwardly relatively to the remainder of his spinal column when the user lies on the couch in a supine position,   (c) a head rest on the head support zone, and   (d) means for moving the body support portion of the couch about its pivot connection with the frame between a substantially horizontal position and a position in which the head support zone is vertically lower than the seat support zone.   
     
     
       2. A couch as claimed in claim 1, in which the angle between the leg and back and head support zones is 150°. 
     
     
       3. A couch as claimed in claim 1, in which the apex of the hump on the back support zone is approximately 300 mm from the center of the seat support zone. 
     
     
       4. A couch as claimed in claim 1, in which the head rest is fixed to the head support zone of the couch by means which enables movement of the rest in the direction of a user's spine. 
     
     
       5. A couch as claimed in claim 1, in which with the body support portion of the couch held in a horizontal position with the free ends of the leg and head support portions of the support located 200 mm above a horizontal plane which contacts the lowest portion of the seat support zone the dimensions of the couch are approximately: (a) total length 1,900 mm,   (b) 900 mm between the center of the seat support and free end of the head support zones,   (c) 600 mm between the free end of the head support zone and the apex of the hump on the back support zone,   (d) at a point on the back support zone which is about 350 mm from the free end of the head support zone, 140 mm above the horizontal plane,   (e) the apex of the hump on the back support zone, about 110 mm above the horizontal plane, and   (f) at a point on the leg support zone about 600 mm from the center of the seat support zone, 210 mm above the horizontal plane.